IN TIMOR. 423 



of the vegetation about it, it was loaded, told how cool and 

 moist an atmosphere it was living in. 



Among the tall grass fields one of the commonest orchids 

 was the white sweet-scented Habenaria susannoe, remarkable 

 for the great length of its nectaries. Diurnal lepidoptera were 

 noticeably very few at Fatunaba ; but at night more moths 

 (belonging only to a few species) than at any other station 

 where I had lived, crowded to my lamp. Among them the 

 most abundant were two moderate-sized Noctum, a new species 

 of Ophiodes and Remigia virhia, and a largish species of 

 Humming-bird moth (Protoparce orientalis). I made it a 

 point daily to watch the fertilisation of these Habenarias. 

 They were invariably cross-fertilised during the night by a 

 moth which, as it always left a few of its hairs on the stigma, 

 I feel certain is the same as one and perhaps both of the 

 Noctuse just mentioned, but the tongue of both species is 

 far too short ever to reach more than half-way down towards 

 the minute drop of sweetness concealed at the very tip 

 of the nectary. The large pollinia in many cases had been 

 carried only as far as one of the petals or to a neighbouring 

 leaf, as if the moth, finding the burden too great for it, had 

 rested there, and succeeded in freeing itself of them. 



Collecting was carried on till the end of February with all 

 the vigour possible, my herbarium especially rapidly increasing 

 in size ; but I had fully expected to have been by then far in 

 the interior. The weather, however, had been very disastrous 

 for us, and we had had much difficulty with our servants. It 

 was a weary tramp up to Fatunaba from Dilly, and as all our 

 provisions had to be carried by our own men, they very soon 

 tired of the exertion that this entailed, and of living so far 

 from the Jcanipa stores of the town. One of the Goa men 

 was an inveterate toper, and had very soon to be discharged. 

 His place was taken by a younger brother, who proved a good 

 and willing servant ; but he could not stand the cold nights of 

 the mountains, so when he left in ill-health, followed soon 

 after by his brother dismissed for larceny, their place was 

 filled by an AUor youth, who knew a little Malay. Goma 

 was a servant faithful as a dog, strong and willing to work, 

 but having not the slightest idea of European ways, which he 

 had never seen, he afforded us much amusement, if not much 



